Indicating instrument



July 14, 1936. BLANCHARD 2,047,353

INDI CAT ING INSTRUMENT Filed July 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 14,1936. E. BLANCHARD INDICATING INSTRUMENT Filed July 1'7, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July .14, 1936 ao assa PATENT-OFFICE mnicsrmeINSTRUMENT Leon E. Blanchard, Somerville, Mass., assignor to BarbourStoekwell Company, Cambridge, Mass" a corp ration Application July 17,1929, Serial is; 379,023 3-Claims. (01. 235-144) This invention relatesto instruments of that character in which a plurality of pointerscooperate with a dial provided with graduations indicative of work'done,and one of which pointers is manualiy-operated and the other of which isoperated by' power. s

The invention has for one of its objects to provide for resetting thepower-operated pointer to normal 'or zero positionsubstantially in anin-- 'stant and by means of a device which is accessible from outsidethe instrument.

The invention further has for its object to provide an instrument havinga plurality of dials 'and pointers with the power-operated pointersgeared together so that one of the power-operated point-' ers is movedthe distance of one graduationon its dial for each complete revolutionof the poweroperated pointer co-operating with the other dial, and bothof which pointers are reset-to zero position simultaneously andsubstantially in an instant. I

The invention further has for its object to provide an electric circuitcontroller which is movable with the manually-operated pointer and has amovable member which is governed by a cam or device movable with thepower-operated pointer and arranged to permit the movable member tooperate and close or openthe electric circuit as desired, when the poweroperated pointer registers' with the manually-operated pointer.

when two dials and their co-operating pointers are employed as hereinshown. the circuit controllers are arranged to close the electriccircuit I at two points. which occurs when both poweroperated pointersregister with both manuallyoperated pointers as will be described.

These and other features of this invention willbepointedoutintheclaimsatthe endofthis specification. I

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an indicating instrument embodying thisinvention.

- Fig. 2, a vertical section taken on the line 2-2, .Fig. 3, toillustrate the resetting mechanism look-- ing from the rear of theinstrument as indicated by the arrow on-l'ig. 3;

Fig. 3,apianviewwiththe coverofthecasing removed; I

Pig. 4; a. diagrammatic view to illustrate the operation of the electriccircuit controllers and showing the instrument in section taken 'on theline 4-4, Fig. 3, looking from'the rear of the instrument;

Fig. 5, a detail in section on the line 54. Fig.

55 3, showing the pawl and ratchet mechanism for coupling-the shaft ofthe power-operated pointer and the reset mechanism;-

Fig. 6, a detail in section showing the pointer shafts; the carrier forthe circuit controller and "the cam co-operating with the latter, and 5Fig. 7, a detail of a friction device to be referred to. I

In the present instance, the invention is embodied in an instrumentwhose operative parts are supported by a'fra'me comprising a base plate1 ill and upright walls l2, i3, .14, and which parts 1 are protected bya box lik'e cover l5 having a glass dials l1, l8, each provided withgraduations arranged in a circle and running from 0 to 100. 15

The dials ||,"l8 are made on a plate l9 secured tothe upright wall l2 byscrews or otherwise.

The dial I! has cooperating'with it two pointers 20. 2|, and the dial I8has co-'-operating with ittwo pointers 22, 23.

The pointers 20, 22 are designed to be rotated by power and the pointers2|,- 23 are designed to be rotated manually.

The power-operated pointers 23,22 may be provided with a white color andthe manually op- 26 erated' pointers with a red or dark color to enablethe pointers to bereadily distinguished.

The pointers 20, 22 are fast on .shafts 28, 21 which are geared togetherby the gears.23 on the shaft 21 meshing with a pinion 29 ona shaft 33 30having gears 3| which mesh with a long pinion 32 (see Fig. 3). Tworelatively thin-gears 28 and two gears 3! are employed instead of onewide gear 28 and one wide gear 3|. ,4

The pinion 32 is attached to. a worm gear 33 35 meshing with a worm 34on a shaft 35, which constitutes the main shaft of the instrument and isoperatively connected with the machine not shown, whose work is to beindicated by the instrument herein shown. i

The worm gear 33 is frictionally. secured to the shaft 26 to which thepointer 231s fastened, so

that the pointer shaft 26 may; be rotated in a continuous mannerclock-wise by rotation of the worm shaft 35, and so that the pointershaft 20 4 I may be rotated independently of the worm-shaft occurs whenthe machine with which the wormshaft 35 is connected to be driventhereby is stopped.

In thepresent instance the worm gear 33 is frictionally connected withthe pointer shaft 26 by a coiled spring 38 (see Figs. 3 and 5), which isinterposed-between the long pinion 32 and a against the ratchet wheel 39forces the worm- 'gear 33 against a collar 4| pinned to the shaft 25,and creates suflicientfriction to enablethe pointer shaft 25 to berotated by the worm-shaft 35 through the worm 34 and worm gear 33.

It will thus be seen that whenthe worm-shaft 35 is rotated by themachine, not shown, but with which the worm-shaft. is connected, the

pointer 20 is moved continuously around the dial until the machine isstopped.

When the machine is stopped, the worm-shaft 35 is at rest and thepointer shaft 25 is then capable of being rotated to reset the pointer29 to zero. 4

In the instrument herein shown, the pointer 29 may be reset by means ofa pawl 44 co-operating with the ratchet 39v in a .mannerwellundercircles the' rod 49 and is' compressed when the rod 49 is movedin the direction of.the arrow'52 in Fig. 2.

The rod 49 is moved longitudinally in the direction of the arrow 52 toreset the pointer 20 as herein shown,-by a'forked' crank or arm 53 on arock-shaft 54, which is extended through the rear upright wall l4 andhas mounted on it outside of the rear wall, a lever or arm 55 whichprojects above the top of the casing and is provided at its upper, endwith a finger piece'56.

When thelever is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the spring isuncompressed and when it is desired to reset the pointer 20, the leveris moved to the' oppositeside of the center of the machine from theposition shown in Fig. 1 and thereby effects the rotation of the pointer20 clockwise to the zero position through the segmental gear 41, gear46, disk 45, pawl 44 and ratchet wheel 39 as above described.

Provision is made for holding the pointer 28 in its zero position afterit has been reset until the lever or arm 55 is returned to its normalposition;

To this endthe hub of the ratchet wheel 39 has fast on it a stop memberin the form of a disk 58 provided with a tooth or projection 59 withwhich co-operates a holding dog or pawl 69 (see Fig. 2) on an arm 6| ofa vertically movable bar 62, mounted on the upright wall i3 to slidevertically thereon lay-means of a screw or pin 63 extended through anelongated slot 64 in the sliding bar 52.

The screw orpin 63 has attached to it one end of a spring 65, the otherend of which is attached to a pin 66 on the bar 62.

The spring 65 is arranged tonormally draw the sliding bar 62 downwarduntil the upper wall of the slot 64 engages the pin 63, and said springis elongated by lifting .the bar 62, which is effected pin 19 is movedaway from the arm 69, and the spring 55 then moves the bar 62 downwardinto a position wherein the 'pawl 69 is brought into the path of thetooth 59 and thereby prevents rotation of the disk 58, the ratchet wheel39 and 5 the pointer shaft 25, until the operating lever 55 has beenreturned to its normal position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

On. the forward stroke or movement of the lever, the spring 5| iscompressed more or less depending upon the position of the pointer shaft28 with relation to the stop pawl 69. If the pointer shaft is located sothat the pointer 20 registers with the graduation 99, the pointer shaft26 will have to move only a short distance before the stop member 59 isengaged with the stop pawl I or dog 69, and the pointer shaft 26 is thenlocked ,or held against further rotation, but the lever 55, is permittedto be moved forward to the end of its stroke by the fact that the rod 49is free to be slid through the stud 48 on the segmental gear 41, and thespring 5| is compressed to its fullest extent.

On the return movement of the lever 55, the

pressure of the forked arm 53 against the collar 50 is removed, and thespring 5| expands and moves the rod 49 in the direction opposite to thatindicated by the arrow 52.'

On the return movement of the lever 55, the

spring 5| effects movement of the segmental gear 41 in the direction ofthe arrow 12, and this return movement is completed by the collar 13fast on the rod 49 engaging the stud 48. As the segmental gear 41 ismoved in the direction of the arrow 12, the spur gear 46 is turnedfreely on the hub of the ratchet Wheel 39, as the pawl 44 at such timeclicks over the ratchet wheel 39, and the pointer shaft 26 is held bythe pawl Bllwith the pointer 20 registering with zero on the dial |1.

On the return movement of the lever 55, the

pin 10 on the rockshaft 54 is engaged with the arm 59 of the elbow at ornear the end of such return movement, and turns the elbow lever so thatits arm 61 lifts the sliding bar 60 and raises the holding pawl 60 outof the path of the tooth or projection 59, and thereby releases thepointer shaft 26 and leaves it free to be rotated clockwise by the mainshaft 35 as above described.

The rod 49 is operatively connected with the pointer 22 co-operatingwith the dial I8 by mechanism similar to that above described withrelation to the pointer 20, namely, by means of the spring 15co-operating with a collar 16 fast on the rod and with a rotatable stud11 carried by the segmental gear 18, which meshes with 5.3 a gear 19fastto the disk 80 loosely mounted upon the hub of the ratchet wheel 8|with which co-operates the pawl 82 carried by the disk 89.

The hub of the ratchet wheel 8| has fast on it the disk 83 provided withthe stop projection 84 with which co-operates the pawl 85 carried by anarm 86 attached to the sliding bar 62.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that when the resetting lever 55is moved from its normal position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the spring 15,is compressed and the segmental gear 18 is rotated to effect rotationof the gear 19 and the pointer 22 clockwise, so that the power-operatedpointer 22 co-operating with the dial i8 is simultaneously reset to zerowith the power-operated 7o pointer 29 co-operating with the dial I1.

The-sliding bar 62 is guided at its upper end by a pin 88 extendedthrough'a slot 89 and by a pin 90 on the upright wall l3.

Provision is made for, manually rotating the pointers 2|, 23 and to thisend the pointer H is mounted on a hollow shaft 92 (see F18. 6) providedwith a gear 93 with which meshes a gear 84 on a shaft 96 supported in abearing 86 and extended through the upper wall of the cover I6 andadapted to be rotated by a removable key 87. The end of the shaft 02 isnormally covered by a removable cap 98.

The pointer 23 is mounted on a like hollow shaft I (see Fig. 3), whichshaft has the gear IOI with which meshes the pinion I02 on the shaft I03mounted in the bearing I04 and which is extended up through the cover ofthe instrument and is normally covered by the cap I06, shown in Fig. 1.

It will thus be observed that both pointers 2 I, 23 are manually andindependently turned into any desired position by the operator.

Provision is made for controlling the machine with which the indicatingapparatus is coupled so as to stop the machine when the latter hasperformed a certain amount of work, as for instance if the machine is amachine for feeding wire, it may be desirable that the machine should bestopped after it has fed forward a given length of wire, as forinstance, 1530 feet.

In such instance, the manually operated pointers are turned by theoperator so that the pointer 23 registers with the graduation 15 of thedial I8 and the pointer 2i registers with the graduation 30 of the dialII.

Provision is made for interrupting the circuit of the electric motoremployed to drive the machine when 1530 feet of wire have been fed bythe machine, and when this amount of wire has been fed by the machinethe power-operated painters 20, 22 will at such time register with themanually-operated pointers 2I, 23.

Provision is made for interrupting the circuit of the motor when thepower-operated pointers 20, 22 coincide or register with themanuallyoperated pointers.

To this end the hollow shaft of the gear 93 has mounted on it to revolvetherewith a carrier for a circuit controller.

This carrier is represented in Fig. 6 as a disk IIO of insulatingmaterial to which are attached on opposite sides thereof metal ringsII2-II3 electrically disconnected from each other and with whichco-operate brushes -II4II5. (See Fig. 4.) a

The metal rings II2-I I3 have electrically connected with them themembers of a circuit controller. These members are represented as alever H6 and a screw II'I carriedby a stud or post II8.

' The lever H6 may be designated the movable member of the circuitcontroller, and the screw and post the stationary member.

The gear I M has fast to its hollow shaft a carrier for a circuitcontroller of like construction, the carrier comprising, a disk I20 ofinsulating material provided with metal rings I2 II22 with whichco-operate brushes I23--I24 and also the movable member I25 and thestationary member I26-I2'I of a circuit controller.

The contact brushes H4, H5, I23, I24 are included in an electric circuitI30I-3I connected with a main circuit I32, I33 and including a relay I34whose armature I35 controls the circuit of the electric motor I36employed to drive the machine.

The arrangement is such that when the circuit of the relay I34 iscompleted the armature I35 is moved away from its co-operatingcongraduation 30 and will register with the pointer tacts I40, Iincluded in circuit with the motor I46 and the latter circuit is brokenand the machine is stopped.

The circuit of the relay I34 is controlled at two points, to wit: by thecircuit controller lI6-I I1 and by the circuit controller I25-I26.

The circuit controller I I6 is governed by a cam or device I42 fast onthe pointer shaft 26, said cam co-operating with a finger I43 to openthe circuit controller II6--l I! as represented in Fig. 4 when thefinger I43 engages the full periphery of the cam and to permit themember II6 to be engaged with the member I" when the finger I43 enters arecess I44 in the cam. I

The shaft 21 of the pointer 22 is provided with a like cam I46 having arecess I41 and with which co-operates a finger I48 on the lever I26.

The cams I42-I46 are fast on the shafts 26, 21 and are power-operated;that is, theyare rotated when the pointers 20,' 22 are operated by themachine whose work is to be indicated.

The circuit controllers II6-III, I25, I26 are fast to the carriers ordisks IIO, I20 and are manually adjusted or positioned with relation tothe recesses I44-I41 of the cams when the manually-operated pointers 2|,23 are positioned at the graduation indicative of the number of feet ofwire, which is to be fed from the machine before the latter is stopped,which number of feet as above noted is 1530 in the present instance.

It will thus be seen that the circuit of the relay I34 is opened at twopoints and may be closed at one point, to wit: by the circuit controllerII6--I I! on each revolution of the power-operated pointer 20 withoutaffecting the relay, as the circuit of the latter remains open at thecircuit controller I25-426 until the power-operated pointer 22 has beenbrought into register with the pointer 23.

When this occurs the circuit of the relay I 34 is closed at thecontroller I25-I26, but is opened at the controller II6, I I1 until thepointer 20 has then been moved into register with the pointer 2|,whereupon the circuit of the relay is closed at both circuitcontrollers.

When the machine has fed 1500 feet the poweroperated pointer 22 of thesecond dial will at such time have been moved to the graduation 15 andwill register with the pointer 23 and at such time the machine will havefed 1500 feet of wire.

When the machine has fed the additional 30 feet of wire, thepower-operated pointer 20 will have been moved to the graduation 30 andwill register'with the pointer 2|.

When the power-operated pointer 22 registers with the pointer- 23 of thedial l8, the finger I48 on the circuit controller I26 will drop into therecess I41 in the cam I46 and the circuit of the relay will be closed atone point by the member I25 engaging the member I 26.

The circuit of the relay will not, however, be completed until 30 morefeet of wire have been fed forward, and at such time the power-operatedpointer 20 will have been moved to the At such time the finger I43 willdrop into the recess I44 of the cam I42 and the movable memher 6 willengage the stationary member I" of the circuit controller, therebyclosing the circuit of the relay I34 at the second point, whereupon therelay is energized and the main circuit of the motor I36 is opened andthe machine stopped.

The operation of the machine to feed a second length of 1530 feet may berepeated by again closing the circuit of the motor I38, which iseffected by moving the resetting lever 55 so as to reset thepower-operated pointers 20, 22 to zero, which pointers are movedclockwise or in the same direction they are moved. by power, and whenthe pointers 20, 22 are reset to zero, the cams 2-446 are moved withthem clockwise and the high part of the cam co-operating with thefingers I43, I48 opens the circuit of the relay which permits the maincircuit to be closed by deenergizing the relay.

On the return movement of the resetting lever 55, which is eifected bythe springs 5|, I5, the pawl-carrying disks 45, 80 are rotatedcounterclockwise, the pawls 44, 82" clicking over the ratchet disks 39,8|.

When it is desired to stop the machine after the latter has fed anyother desired length of wire, the pointers 2|, 23 are manuallypositioned to register with the graduations on the dials indicative ofthe new length of wire to be fed by the machine.

When the cover is placed upon the machine. it is secured to the rearupright wall II by screws or otherwise, and the only parts of themachine which are accessible to the operator are the thumb caps 98, I05and the resetting lever 55, thereby rendering the instrument practicallyinaccessible to the operator and to that extent fool-proof.

In the present instance the rock-shaft 54 to which the reset lever 55 isattached is provided with a crank or arm I50 with which (so-operates aspring-pressed plunger l5! to frictionally hold the rock-shaft 54 in itsstarting position.

In the present instance the resetting lever 55 operates the resettingmechanism for two poweroperated pointers co-operating with two dials.

It is not desired to limit the invention in this respect, as theresetting feature may be embodied in an instrument having but a singlepower-operated pointer co-operating with a single dial. I

One construction of mechanism actuated by the resetting lever is hereinshown, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the particularconstruction shown.

What is claimed is:

1. In an instrument of the character described, in combination, a dialprovided with graduations, a pointer cooperating with said dial, a shafton which said pointer is mounted, a ratchet wheel fast on said pointershaft, a rock shaft, a lever for operating said rock shaft, gearingactuated by movement of said lever in one direction and cooperatingwith-said ratchet wheel to rotate the pointer shaft, a-stop on saidpointer shaft. a

which said pointer is mounted, a stopon said pointer shaft, a pawlnormally co-operating with said stop to permit rotation of said pointershaft, a manually operated rock shaft connected with said stop pawl torelease said pointer shaft, means connecting said rock shaft with saidpointer shaft to rotate the latter, and means controlled by said rockshaft for moving the stop pawl into the path of the stop on the pointershaft to arrest rotation of the latter.

3. In an instrument of the character described, in combination, a dialprovided with graduations, a pointer co-operating with said dial, ashaft on which said pointer is mounted, a stop on said pointer shaft, apawl movable into and out of the path of said stop, a manually operatedrock-shaft co-operating with said pawl to move it out of the path ofsaid stop and release said pointer shaft, gearing actuated by saidrock-shaft for rotating the pointer shaft when said rock-shaft is movedin one direction, means for moving the pawl into the path of said stopwhen said gearing is actuated by said rock-shaft, and means actuated bysaid rock-shaft when moved in the opposite direction for effectingmovement of the pawl out of the path of said stop.

LEON E. BLANCHARD.

